Saturday, May 31, 2008

State Central: "Kurt Michael is Augusta Chairman"

In a unanimous vote Friday the Republican Party of Virginia's State Central Committee voted to uphold the decision of the 6th District in the case of the contested Augusta County Republican Committee mass meeting on April 10. Kurt Michael was declared the legal chairman just as he was at the 6th District level.

Larry Roller, who appealed the 6th District decision to State Central, was not happy. As reported by Bob Stuart of the Waynesboro News Virginian, who drove to Richmond for the hearing:

Roller said Friday he did not accept the finding of the state central committee, and will consider any legal avenues left to him, including court action.

“I’m very disappointed in the state central committee,’’ Roller said.

He said a number of his supporters will confer and consider what to do next. Roller said the decision of the state central committee denies “the will of the majority in Augusta County.”

“I won’t let him (Michael) steal this election no matter what,’’ he said.

Roller was also disappointed he did not get to state his case to the state central committee Friday morning.

He asked to do so, but a member of both the state central committee and the appeals committee, Kevin Gentry of Fairfax County, said the case had been thoroughly investigated and it was time to vote on the appeal.

Gentry said “both sides had plenty of time to make their case’’ to the appeals committee.

"We gave an enormous amount of time to both sides,’’ said Gentry, who estimated the appeals committee spent seven hours on the Augusta County case.[emphasis added]